First Aid kits?
I am trying to rebuild our first aid kit and need to know what I should have in there. I have a house full of young children all day and just want to be prepared. We also do alot of camping and want to make sure we are covered for the adults too.
Thanks for any advise!!
Public Comments
1. tweezers. (for splinters and smal stuff you get into) bandaids, tylenol (it is what i have used from mine), sterryl cleansing cloths, gloves, some type of cut cream anti bacterial stuff, gauze and last but not least small pair of scissors. this is all the stuff my first aid is out of... because i have used it so much either babysitting/personal use. good luck hope this helped
2. Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, and aspirin tablets: For headaches, pain, fever, and simple sprains or strains. (Aspirin should not be used for relief of flu symptoms or given to children.)
Ipecac syrup and activated charcoal: For treatment after ingestion of certain poisons. (Use only on advice of a poison control center or the emergency department.
Elastic Wraps: For wrapping wrist, ankle, knee, and elbow injuries.
Triangular Bandages: For wrapping injuries and making an arm sling.
Scissors with rounded tips.
Adhesive tape and 2" gauze: For dressing wounds.
Disposable, instant ice bags: For icing injuries and treating high fevers.
Bandages of assorted sizes: For covering minor cuts and scrapes.
Antibiotic ointment: For minor burns, cuts, and scrapes.
Gauze in rolls and in 2" and 4" pads: For dressing wounds
Bandage Closures: 1/4" and 1 ": For taping cut edges together.
Tweezers: To remove small splinters and ticks.
Safety pins: To fasten bandages.
Rubber gloves: to protect yourself and reduce the risk of infection when treating open wounds.
First Aid Manual
List of emergency telephone numbers. (for the kids if you get hurt)
hope this helps
emt-b
3. Suggested First Aid Kit Contents (Basic)
·Rubbing alcohol
·Povidone Iodine
·Cotton
·Gauge pads
·Tongue depressor
·Penlight
·Band aid
·Gloves
·Scissors
·Forceps
·Bandage (Triangular)
·Elastic roller bandage
·Occlusive dressing
·Plaster
4. Bandages
Band-aids
Bandage tape
Safety pin
CPR mask cover
Cotton balls
Forceps
Small flash light
Rubbing alcohol
Elastic wrapping
Gauze
Hydrogen Peroxide
Over the counter pain medicine (Aspirin, Ibeprophen etc.)
Scissors
Rubber Gloves
exact-o-knife
Allergy medication (If any one is allergic anything that they might come in contact with.)
Splinting cardboard or Splinting inflatable stabilizer
Thermometer
Ropes
Adrenalin shot (optional)
Neosporen
Instant Ice pad
Icy hot patch
needle and thread
Sterile abdominal pad
Sterile covering blanket
Blanket or sheet
UP TO DATE first aid guide book
Emergency medications
Emergency numbers and contacts
5. Eye Wash is most important. You also need an assortment of band aids, hyrogen perozide, an ointment (similar to neosporen), gauze pads, latex gloves. For camping, add matches, candles, energy bars, and an epi pin for allergies.
6. Galls has a wide variety of first aid kids. They have kits for public safety, industrial and even home.
www.galls.com
You can choose a kit that would suit your family's needs.Some of kits are pretty advanced. Most come with cases too. They can cost a bit but for your family's safety, it's worth it.
I'm an EMT and I carry a fully stocked jump kit (medic bag) in my truck at all times. It has all the items listed by the other posters and more...such as cervical collars, board splints, air splints with a pump, a pulse oximeter, BVMs, oral and nasal airways, an OB kit, a burn kit, trauma dressings, a PPE kit (protective equpiment), latex and nonlatex gloves, blood pressure cuffs, a stethoscope, a bite stick, cold and hot packs, a glucose meter, oral glucose, activated charcoal (for overdoses), oxygen masks, a small O2 tank, Benadryl, saline flush, and a host of other items. It's actually 3 bags...one for collars and splints, one for all airway management and one for everything else. I also have a refillable fire extinguisher, a window punch and a small assortment of other tools (trauma shears, bandage scissors, forceps, tweezers, flares, aluminum foil, saran wrap and duct tape).
Yes, I have had to use it.
I don't carry any drugs. I don't carry IV fluids or an Epi-Pen because those are prescription items. I got most of the stuff I carry through Galls but I have added other items that I needed in order to be ready for anything. I know many EMTs that carry personal jump kits in their vehicles in order to be able to effectively come to the aid of others. Even when off duty, I'm still on duty.
EMT
7. It might be easier to buy one already made up. The cost of these things add up quickly and things like aspirin have expiration dates. I just bought one to put in my car for car trips. It seems like the kids are always needing a banaid when we're not home.
8. I agree with most of what is on zablackw's list... the adrenaline shot (better known as epipen) is something that you should have only if you know that someone you will be treating is allergic to bee stings..and I think you may need a prescription for those. There are some good first aid kits available out there to buy. Check at a local pharmacy... I'm sure they will have one there fully stocked at a cheaper price than it will cost you to go buy all the items individually and they are complete with the first aid manual. Any medications aren't really recommended in a first aid kit ... like allergy meds, etc. because they could expire and you wouldn't notice it. Also, you shouldn't be giving medications unless you know for sure what you are doing with them. I don't keep medications in mine because the first aid kit is something that the children may come in contact with.